MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, International Paper has been recognized with a Forestry for Wildlife Partner award in Georgia. The prestigious award acknowledges the company's wildlife conservation partnership efforts across the state. The Forestry for Wildlife Partnership program, administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Wildlife Resources Division, is a voluntary annual program that promotes blending wildlife conservation into forestry practices of companies that own forestland in Georgia. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/IPLOGO ) Governor Perdue again renewed International Paper's status as a Forestry for Wildlife Partner in recognition of its outstanding contributions to the state's wildlife and wild places. The award acknowledged the company's excellent stewardship of swallow-tailed kites, red-cockaded woodpeckers and other wildlife within its nearly one million acres of forestland in Georgia. The voluntary program offers a variety of choices from which forest landowners in the state can build a program compatible with their forest management objectives. "Our foresters and wildlife biologists are dedicated to wildlife conservation and to integrating conservation goals into our Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) program," said Dr. Sharon Haines, International Paper's director, sustainable forestry and forest policy. "It is an honor for us to receive such a well respected conservation award." International Paper professional foresters John Torpy, silvicultural specialist, Mike Monroe, forest technician and Steve DuBose, region manager, wildlife programs, accepted the award from Governor Perdue on behalf of the company at a recent ceremony in the Governor's office. Georgia Power, MeadWestvaco, Temple-Inland and Plum Creek participated in the event as the other award recipients. "Private sector land management practices are a major part of our efforts to conserve Georgia's natural resources," said Governor Perdue. "To become a Forestry for Wildlife Partner, companies must consistently perform land management activities that benefit wildlife and exceed the current regulatory and industry certification standards." Forestry practices that earned Forestry for Wildlife Partner status for International Paper and others include: * Preparing wildlife conservation plans detailing natural resources inventories and outlining the management strategies for blending forest management with wildlife management. * Providing internal training opportunities for employees on how to blend forestland management with "wildlife friendly" practices for multiple natural resource benefits. * Incorporating wildlife management techniques into current land-use planning and forest management practices. * Providing valuable data for state research projects. * Providing public recreational opportunities on company forestlands. * Participating in partnerships with public and private conservation organizations such as Georgia DNR, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Partners in Flight and the Longleaf Alliance. * Managing riparian forests for wildlife use and water quality protection. "In 2005, five companies that manage more than two million acres of forestlands in Georgia were able to achieve the distinction of being a Forestry for Wildlife Partner," said Noel Holcomb, commissioner, DNR. "We have set the bar very high for natural resource conservation in Georgia. These forest landowners have responded by participating in this innovative partnership." International Paper conservation initiatives recognized under the Forestry for Wildlife Partnership include: managing and monitoring endangered red- cockaded woodpecker habitats and bald eagle and swallow-tailed kite nesting, managing isolated wetlands critical to protected reptiles and amphibians like the gopher frog, surveying and protecting plants and animals with global rankings for rarity and providing hunting and other forest recreation opportunities through hunting clubs and state wildlife management area program participation. All of the conservation enhancement components and reporting procedures are compatible with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program. The SFI(R) Standard is an independent forest certification system that ensures the perpetual planting, growing and harvesting of trees while protecting biodiversity, wildlife, plants, soil, air and water quality. It is a voluntary certification approach to make certain that high environmental quality is maintained on forest landscapes. Headquartered in the United States, International Paper (http://www.internationalpaper.com/) businesses include paper, packaging and forest products. As one of the largest private landowners in the world, IP professional foresters and wildlife biologists manage the woods with great care in compliance with the rigorous standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) program. In the U.S. alone, IP protects more than a half million acres of unique and environmentally important habitat on its forestlands through conservation agreements and land sales to environmental groups. And, the company has a long-standing policy of using no wood from endangered forests. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/IPLOGODATASOURCE: International Paper CONTACT: Rick Ouellette, +1-901-419-4274, for International Paper Web site: http://www.internationalpaper.com/

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